Air cleaning and blowing apparatus



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NAI

IN VEN TOR.

Dec. 18, 1934. J. H. FEDELER AIR CLEANING AND BLQWING APPARATUS FiledMarch 22, 192s Patented 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f 1,ss4.811

am cLaANmG AND BLowmG maaarus John H. Fedeler, New York, N. Y.

appucatmn'Mai-ch z2, 192s, serial No. 263,719

s cnam. (c1. iss- 11) My invention consists of a new apparatus forcleaning and moving air. 'I'he cleaning feature consists in arrestingthefgdust particles with projections upon fan blades Which-throw thedust out at right angles to the movement of the air; and the new airmoving feature consists in surrounding the fan blades of a fan by ahousing which will allow air thrown out centrifugally upon it, to bere-projected centripetally thereby.

Air is now principally moved by' blowers and fans. A blower is heredefined as a paddle which rotates within a casing having an inlet forair near the center from which the air is propelled centrifugally to theoutlet on the periphery of the casing. A fan is a propeller whichpropels the air-in the direction ofits shaft, and some of itcentrifugally depending upon the pitch of the blades. v

The object of my invention is toprovide a fan in which air is cleanedand moved at the same time. 1

In the accompanying drawing, which is part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a section upon line l-1 o1' Figure 2'.

Figure 2 is a section upon line2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section upon line 3-3 of Figure 2.

'I'he direction of each section is indicated by an arrow. Similarnumbers indicate like parts in diiferent views of drawing.

Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 a suitable base 5 contains areservoir for liquid and holds bearings 6 and 7 and casing 8 inalignment by bolts, or other suitable mea`ns. 'I'here is an opening 51in this base into'which casing 8 is fitted and an opening into whichpipe 21 is tted hermetically to the outside of base, so that anypressure in the reservoir can not leak out between the base and thecasing, or .base 5 and pipe 21. Suitable handholes or manholes anddrains may also be provided but are not shown.

Bearings 6 and '1 support shaft 3 which is driven in the direction,indicated by arrow in Figure 2,

by suitable means not shown. Bearing 6 in this case forms a part ofhousing 52, forming the intake which directs the air into casing 8.-Housing 52 is suitably fastened to casing 8 and thus forms a rigid partof 'base 5, bearing 6 and Vcasing 8. This housing is not essential, butshows how the fan is adaptable in a blower system in which airconduitsare used. Bearing 7 is aligned rigidly with bearing 6 and is in thiscase only fastened to base 5. Shaft 3, which revolves in these bearings,is provided with fan blades 36 to force air through casing 8. Anysuitable construction may be' employed in attaching fan blades to theshaft, but I select a pulley-shapedblock 31, keyed to the shaft,provided with a T-shaped rim 32, one side of which projects into fanblades 36 as a means of holdingthem as shown, and the other 'sideforming a ange and pocket .to guide liquid 5 to flow through holes 35onto fan blades 36. 'Ihe other end of block 31 is provided with tappedholes adapted to secure a follower ring 33 by means of bolts 34. Theoutside rim of this ring has an L-shaped section 37 to it into the otherlo side of fan blades, which in conjunction with the aforementionedprojection on one side of the -T-shaped rim 342v opposite, clamps thefan blades to the shaft asshown by bolts 34. The fan blades 36 arepreferably of sheet metal, bent around or 15 fastened to a liner 38 onits inner edge, which separates the blades the proper distance in block31 and from which they project. Liner 38 may be grooved or provided withholes 39 to allow liquid to pass from inside of block 31 out on theblades. 20 Fan blades -36 are bent over on the forcing plane and on theside of which the air leaves, to form bead 30, a projecting pocket orscoop which catches the dust and throws it out centrifugally in what ishere termed the centrifugal plane. 25 The intake edges of fan bladesform the circumference of the fan which follows the contour and shape ofcasing 8, said intake side having a smaller radius than the dischargeside of which bead 30 is a part. The fan is further distin- 30 guishablefrom ordinary fans in the proximity of the blades which lap each otherso that each blade forces a separate lm of air,-the object of which isto force the dust of each air lm onto the liquid coated blade before itis forced through 35 the fan, the heavier than air particles beingforced 4into the recess of bead 30, and slung out centrifugally intocasing 8 surrounding the same.

' Oil pan 2 has a dished round surface surrounding the shaft and may befastened to bearing 6, 4o but is in this case held by' pipes 21 and 22.Both of these pipes supply liquid to theoil pan from which it is drawninto fanblades by the force of the air as it leaks down over the edge ofthe pan. Pipe 22 is provided with an oil cup or supply oi' 45 liquid,and pipe 21 draws its supply from the base in which a pressure ismaintained for this purpose.

Oil pan or baiiie 23 is fastened inside of the upper half of casing 8 ina suitable-manner, preferably with rivets 26.,through suitable holes inpan 23, 50 and through washers 25 and casing 8. 'I'his pan, with outeredge turned over in bead form as shown, is so shaped that it forms theleast resistance to passing air and its object is to catch the drippingsfrom the top of the casing when the fan is standing still, or whenintermittently operated, to prevent the liquid from being blown out withthe air. Each lower end of this pan is turned outward to form a bead 20and pocket connected on the inside of pan with a pipe 24 for leading theliquid from the pan to the inside of rim 32 of block 31, as heretoforereferred to.

Casing 8 is shaped like a cylindrical ring which encloses the airpropeller and its inner contour embodies the principle of the statorvanes of a multiple stage steam turbine in which the steam leaving therotor vanes is projected into the stator vanes in one direction and isthereby deflected back into the next rotor vane. To employ thisprinciple to moving air the inner surface of the ring shaped casing isgiven the sectional contour of a vane as shown. It must be borne in mindthat dust and liquids are not elastic whereas, air and gases areelastic. Liquid and dust projected against the inclined side of thisvane shaped casing is stopped by any pocket or ridge in the same,whereas air or gas is deflected over such a pocket and this change ofdirection causes the separation of the dust and liquid from the air orgas. The air is propelled centrifugally against one side of this vaneshaped casing which deects the air to follow its contour and flow in adirection inclined parallel with the axis of the air moving means orinclined axially. The casing may be suitably constructed of severalparts. The part 81 is a plate overlapping the part formed by the plate82, and the gutter 87 is'thus formed between these two overlappingelements. This gutter terminates into base 5, in which the dust iscollected. Part 82 of the casing. is furtherprovided with a shield 83 onits lower edge, the object of which is to deflect air thrown off the fanblades into base 5 through opening' 84 thus formed so as to create apressure within the same, and by tilting the blower so that the airblows upward at an angle with the horizontal plane the speed of the fanwhich governs the -height of the liquid forced, can be adjusted with theangle of the base to force the liquid from the base through pipe 21 intopan 2. Other means, such as a pump with a spray, may also be employedand the sole object of this is to keep the fan blades coated and cleanedwith a liquid.

In operating the fan it will be observed that much air is thrown olfwith the liquid and dust centrifugally, but due to their difference inspeciflc gravity, the liquid and dust will be projected into gutter 87,where as the air will separate therefrom and bound back because of thecurvature of the casing. In order to insure against the liquid, due togravity and capillarity, dripping down the upper section when the fan isstanding still, an extra gutter 89 is provided on part 82 in place ofwhich a groove with a wick would serve as well.

It will be seen that the casing 8 is formed in two portions, namely, anintake portion 81 and a discharge portion 82, the gutter 87 being formedas part of the portion 81. These two portions are disposed coaxially ofthe shaft 3 and inclined away from the shaft meeting approximately atthe gutter 81, at which place is located the largest diameter of eachportion. It will also be seen that the portion 8l is inclined away fromthe shaft 3 in the direction in which air passes through the casing, andthat the intake portion has its inner face substantially flush with theadjacent part of the intake portion so that air thrown outwardly againstthe inner surface of the intake portion may be caught by the dischargeportion and deflected back towards the shaft 3, whereas the.

dust and other particles may pass into the gutter. The new featuresembodied in my method, and included in the scope of my invention,consist in increasing the number of fan blades by'which I increase thecentrifugal tendency of the forced air. By adding scoops on each fanblade for dust catching purposes, I enhance this centrifugal tendencystill more. The casing surrounding this fan opposes the free centrifugalaction and there is therefore a slight pressure built up within the airfilms passing the fan, which restrains the centrifugal action in a4measure and helps direct the flow of the air in the direction of thefan shaft, the curvature of the casing helps to redirect the centrifugalmoving air centripetally, and the pressure thus created in the movingair can be adjusted to create uniformow in the direction of the shaft. Aliquid coating on the blades, or on the casing,restrains the dust fromfollowing the air, but where the dust is dense could be forced through aseries of machines so that the dry dust is collected first and thesmaller.

and finer amount left can then be collected in a machine having bladesand casing coated with liquid as described.,

What I claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is:

1. An air conditioning apparatus or the like comprising a casing, an airpropelling meanswithin said casing adapted to throw the air beingtreated centrifugally outwardly against the casing, means for supplyingliquid to the air propelling means, means in said casing for receivingand collecting the liquid and solid particles in the air thus thrownoutwardly, means in said casing in the path of the propelled air fordeflecting the centrifugally directed air stream which has been freedfrom liquid and solid particles to move said air stream substantiallylongitudinally to the axis of the air propelling means, a part of saiddefiectng means being a convexed baille disposed in spaced relation tothe casing concentric with the axis of the air propelling means.

2. An air conditioning apparatus or the like comprising a casing havingtwo dished portions disposed with their largest diameters incomplemental relation, a liquid reservoir upon which the casing ismounted, an air propelling means within the intake portion of the casingadapted to throw the air being treated centrifugally outwardly towardthe casing portion of largest diameter, means for supplying liquidfromsaid reservoir to the air propelling means, a gutter within the casingand disposed concentrically to the air propelling means for collectingthe liquid and dust particles in the air being propelled throughl thecasing, and a drain in said gutter for returning said liquid to thereservoir.

3. An air conditioning apparatus comprising a shaft, a plurality ofoutwardly extending blades secured to the shaft andA forming means tomove air in a direction parallel to the shaft, the spaces between theouter edges of adjacent blades being open, means on the blades tointerrupt the air in said movement and throw it outwardly through saidspaces, a stationary plate disposed adjacent the periphery of saidblades but spaced therefrom to intercept the air thrown from the blades,said plate being inclined away from the shaft in the direction ofmovement of the air, whereby solid particles in the air will continuetheir outward movement and separate from the .acasinghavingan uashaftdisposedin between pen,

air,aguttertoreceivesaidparticlejs, posed inwardly of the gutter to fromwhich the particles have become and means to conduct air to saidblades;y "e

4. A device of the inlet and an outlet for air, the casing generallyparallel tothe direction of movement of air therethrough, said shafthaving a plurality of blades extending outwardly therefrom with theirouter edges spaced apart and with the spaces therethe air in itsmovement through the casing and to throw it outwardly through saidspaces, and a stationary plate on the casing disposed adjacent the outeredges of said blades but spaced therefrom and so placed as to intercepttheair thrown from the blades, said plate being inclined away from theshaft in the direction of move ment ofthe air, whereby solid particlesin the air thrown outwardly by said blades will continue their outwardmovement and separate from the ai'by movement along said inclinedsurface.

c their outer edges open,

` thrown from A device of the class described comprising a outwardlyextending blades and having the spaces bemeans to direct air to saidblades in a direction generally parallel to said shaft, said bladesbeing vconstructed and arranged to throw said air outwardly as it passestherebetween, a stationary plate disposed ad- `lucent the outer edges ofsaid blades but 1spaced therefrom and so placed as to intercept the airthe blades, said plate being inclined away from the shaft in thedirection of movement of the air, .whereby said air and particles ofdust and the like carried thereby may travel away from said shaft afterplate, and means adapted to separate said particles from said air. j

6. A device of the class described comprising a shaft, a plurality ofoutwardly extending blades secured to the shaft and having the spacesbeshaft, a plurality of Secured t the Shaft tween their outer edgesopen, means to direct air to said blades in a direction generallyparallel to said shaft, means for supplying liquid to the air before itpasses to said blades, said blades being constructed and arranged tothrow said air outwardly as it passes therebetween, a stationary platedisposed adjacent the outer blades but spaced therefrom and so placed asto intercept the air thrown from the blades, said plate being inclinedaway from the shaft in the direction of movement of the air, wherebysaid air and particles of dust and the like carriedy thereby may travelaway from said shaft after being intercepted by said plate, and. meansadapted to separate said particles from said air.

afiieviee er ine ease terne shaft tween their outer edges open, means todirect air class described comprising imeans on said blades tointerrupt.

'plate back towards being intercepted by seid edges of :said

described comprising a shaft, agplurality of outwardly extending bladesand having the spaces'beto said blades in a direction generally parallelto said shaft, said blades beingconstructed and arranged to throw saidair outwardly as it passes therebetween, a stationary plate disposedadjacent the outer therefrom and so placed as to intercept the air awayfrom the shaft in the direction of movement of the air, whereby said airand particles of dust and the like carried thereby may travel away fromsaid shaft after being intercepted by said plate, means adapted toseparate said particles from said air, and means to direct air strikings'aid saidshaft.

8. A device of the class described comprising a shaft, a plurality ofoutwardly extending blades secured to the shaft and having the spacesbetween their outer edgesopen, means to direct air to said blades-in adirection generally parallel tosaid shaft, blades being constructed andarranged to thro said air outwardly as it passes therebetween, a'stationary plate disposed adjacent the outer edges -of said blades butspaced therefrom. and so placed as'to intercept the air thrown from theblades, said plate being inclined away fromthe shaft in the direction ofmovement of the air, whereby said air and particles of dust and the likecarried thereby may travel away from said shaft after being interceptedby said plate, vmeanis adapted to separate said particles from said air,means to direct air striking said plate back towards said shaft, andmeans to co1- lect said dust and the like separated from the air afterit leaves said blades.

9. An'air conditioning apparatus or the like comprising an intakeportion and a `discharge portion having av common axis and each beinginclined away from said axis, with the largest diameters of saidportions disposed adjacent each other and the portions of smallestdiameter being disposed adjacent the opposite ends of the casing, an airpropelling means disposed within the intake portion of said casingadjacent one end lthereof and adapted to throw air centrifugallyoutwardly against said intake portion, and means for supplying liquid tothe air propelling means, the discharge portion of the casing adjacentthe .intake'portion thereofl having its inner face substantially hushwith the inner face of the ad edges of said blades but spaced thrownfrom the blades, said plate being inclined

